The present disclosure generally relates to strings of pocketed coils, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method of staging coil strings prior to assembly into a mattress assembly.
Assemblies of pocketed coil springs are employed in a variety of settings, including innerspring assemblies for mattresses and other bedding and furniture applications. In some applications, such innerspring constructions can include a plurality of rows of pocketed coil springs connected to each other. Typically, a row of pocketed coil springs—also called a string—is formed by a coiling apparatus (i.e., coiler), which often forms a plurality of individual coil springs and then places the coil springs between plies of fabric that are then welded around the coil to form pockets that house the coil springs.
Furthermore, pocketed coil springs are often formed in a continuous string by the coiling apparatus. That is, the pocketed coil strings are not cut to the length needed for an individual mattress application, but rather is formed in one long coil string. In these examples, an assembler can receive the continuous pocketed coil string and cut the pocketed coil string to the appropriate length based on any desired mattress specifications. Typically, the assembler can further apply an adhesive to the coil string and adhere the individual rows of pocketed coil strings together to form a plurality of rows of pocketed coil strings that forms the desired mattress or other application.
As mentioned, assemblers are typically placed downstream of a coiler and are configured to receive the pocketed coil string being outputted from the coiler. In many applications, however, the assembler and the coiler are separately controlled apparatuses that can operate at different rates. Due to many factors—such as differences in coiler speeds, jamming issues, changing over raw materials such as fabric or wire, routine maintenance, and/or operator error—the assembler can often be left waiting for a pocketed coil string resulting in manufacturing down-time.
Accordingly, there remains a need for an improved coil string staging area apparatus and method that can increase the speed and efficiency of forming rows of pocketed coil springs.